Grateful this is my birthday show.

Agreed, anyone not rating this at 5 stars either wasn’t there or isn’t listening. The playing alone is stellar, Phil and Brent are so all over this show, not to mention everyone else. The song choices and order of songs is amazing. Watchtower - 1st , and IMHO, best ever - simply crackling with energy!! Listen to the amazement from the crowd! That song alone is worthy of 5 stars and the price of admission, I think I paid 20 dollars for my ticket?!? Drums/space is so creative, all the songs are played with a sparkling blend of alacrity, abandon and precision that only the Dead can provide. This should be in everyone’s top 10.

I have to agree with the 5 star reviews. This was one of the highest moments in all my years of seeing shows (1977-1995) People were literally freaking, the energy when they launched into Watchtower was so powerful it was almost frightening. This is a great example of how mind boggling a show can be in person, with no regard to how it sounds on tape. Any naysayers just weren't there, period. And if it doesn't come through on the recording, so be it, it doesn't change the fact that everyone at the Greek that day had a life changing experience.

This was one of the highest group experiences ever. Of course Jerry was forgetting lyrics, the crowd was giving him the biggest contact high he probably had since the acid tests. I think it's impossible for recording equipment with a frequency range of 20-20K Hz to capture all of the vibrations that went around a show when both the crowd and the band were in a magical space together. This was one of those special times. If you are into looking a gift horse in the mouth, you might pay heed to criticisms. If, however you actually got the Dead and understand that the best times were when they were far out on a limb/ experimenting/ streatching/ making mistakes, then you will treasure this show. This was, as were all the greek and frost shows at this time, a very tough ticket. I feel blessed to have found an angel in the form of a very nice young hippie man. Scored a ticket for ten bucks and a few goony birds. Best trade I have ever made in my life. Again, this is one for the people who were lucky enough to be inside this eve. It is highly unlikely that anyone who gives this show less than five stars was there to catch it live. Take it from someone who WAS there- this show Destroyed egos. A MUST LISTEN! I especially love the way Jerry forgets lyrics right before 'listen to the music play' on Franklins- that's the whole point of it all- PERFECT time for HIM to get confused. Plus, you gotta love second sets that start with a very trippy SPACE. I wasn't concerned about the length of the show for one second. It's quality, not quantity, baby!

1st Set: We're all going to "Hell." Bobby's invigorated but the band is just a teency above-energy wise, energy wise. Straight into "Franklin's" Jerry forgets the lyrics before 'let the music play' It's simply ok... kinda the typical '87 bare-bones version. "Minglewood" is decent but never overpowering. Where's the bad-boy glint in your voice, Bobby? "Loser" is a good choice, like always...as my head tucks beneath my shoulders and I resignedly yearn to join the dazed doldrums. "Esau..." next; I mean, it's fine but but blah. Ahhhh... beautiful thinking Jerry. It's quite delightful if not momentous. If it's intention is to close the set with "Bird," they could at least make it over 10 minutes.

2nd Set: Well, it's been awhile since the ubiquitous "Iko" has made a Spring appearance. This one does not disappoint. The music's kinda tame when the Jerry and the boys aren;t belting em out. "LLR" is nicely designed, and Bobby's screeching is hilarious at 8:00. "Deal" is a good choice, but considering it's leading to "Drums" it should 'pop' more than it does. "Gimme"'s got some steam that is only magnified by one of the first "Watchtower's." "The Wheel" continues the up-beat trend tho a segue between a jammed out 'WAtchtower' and the ensuing "OO" would have maliciously rocked my socks off. Be it as it may, the version's consistently assertive with Banshee Bob making an appearance in the second verse. "Wharf" is well-played but not patient or convincingly destitute enough to be emotionally cathartic. "Sugar" is careless sloppy fun to end this upbeat gig.
We encore with a goofy "Saturday" where Bobby appears to be yelping for something other than good music. Maybe there's a paramour in the front row who gets to look forward to all that oddball energy?!

This show and a couple of fresh,slightly wet Globes along with the first time bust out of Watchtower,and that's all ya need......Welcome to Bezerkley !!!

Scared wasn't the word when the band finished "Looks Like Rain" and went into "Deal" in the middle of the 2nd set....it was downright mayhem around me. People were freaking out and looking real bug-eyed...I guess thinking "what the hell am I going to do, I just dosed an hour ago". The 1st set was a 6 song 40 minute set of nice songs but REALLY short. Now we had about 20 more minutes of music before "Rhythm Devils". By far the greatest after "Drums/Space" I had witnessed. After this, I never judged a show till it's over.....in the future they may have topped this on 9/20/90 (Dark Star/Playing/Dark Star but this was the biggest after "Drums" surprise at this point. A lot of people hugging and crying after this one.

one of my favs. have has this show for a while. If you were at the show you must have been scared with the six song first set and the 3 before space. But man, what happens next....great from start to finish though. Always liked the idea of Bucket>franklin's.

check it out

This was a very hard show to get tickets to.
Jerry was clean and fired up and by this time playing very aggressively and singing well. He physically looked very different from the guy in the red shirt with his glasses on the end of his nose resting his head on the mic and stepping away from high notes just the summer before. The contrast was startling and frankly no one could believe it. It was the talk all spring and summer long. WHAT A BAND!!! My friends who were at the Friday show ended up with backstage tickets, they actually saw Jerry sitting alone at a table after the first set and decided to join him. they asked him some technical musician questions and how the night was going. He was very generous and open and remarked with a grin they hadn't quite kicked the door open that night, but that the weekend was still young. At this show the next night, however, they tore the roof off. I scored a ticket outside after pacing for almost two hours before the show. Once I got in I went to the concessions to get a drink. There were so many people without tickets hanging outside. While I waited in line for a drink I saw a young guy with a beard hiding in the ivy just outside the concession stand. All at once he took a three step high-jumpers skip and flung himself high in the air grabbed the top of the fence and went skipping aroung the folks with aprons and big drinks in their hands. The concession people half yelled for security and then laughed it off once the man had disapeared happily skipping into the crowd.
Jerry was throwing his head and sholders hard into some of the extended choruses on many of the jams. The band was all grins and they just shredded that night. Summer tour was going to be monumental, no looking back.